At 2330 EST on 25 May 23, reports began to emerge of an attack on an African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) base 130km (80 miles) southwest of the capital, Mogadishu. By 0000 EST, extremist chat rooms began to claim that more than 100 ATMIS troops, mostly Ugandan and Somali troops.
These extremists claimed that four suicide bombers had detonated vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED) outside the gates of the base while more than 100 fighters swarmed the entry point. Mortar and automatic weapons supported the infantry rush as militants targeted hardened positions, tanks, and armored vehicles.
By 0300 EST, extremist chats claimed that at least (2) T-55 main battle tanks, (3) ZPU-4 Heavy Machine Guns, and at least (2) QLZ-87 35mm grenade launchers had been seized, along with at least (20) Ugandan soldiers.
By 0800 EST, ATMIS had responded to the calamity with this initial statement:
By 1350 EST, ATMIS claimed that a joint operation has retaken the base, destroyed heavy weapons seized by Al-Shabaab, and driven their forces off. However, they still have not confirmed the ATMIS losses or captured personnel. In the ensuing counter-attack, ATMIS did claim they killed thirty militants.
